Fine Art & Unique Antiques England
Kenneth’s first shop in Grimsby was created from two derelict buildings on the corner of Garden Street and South St Mary’s Gate. With the knowledge and skill of Malcolm Collins, the antiquarian horologist, he built up a wonderful collection of fine clocks including examples by Henry Jones and Daniel Delander. Decades later, the shop is still talked about.
The bright lights of London called and Kenneth moved south, initially working at a fascinating jewellers in Kensington Church Street, but he was to settle at The Furniture Cave in the King’s Road where he met, and had as customers, European Royalty, footballers, pop stars , politicians and the rich and famous from throughout the World. He took over ownership of Anthony Redmile, the design company, and during this time the antler candlesticks supplied to Ralph Lauren were voted by Time magazine as the number one Christmas present for a man!
Kenneth loved to travel, often buying in the markets in France and attending auctions in Paris, Copenhagen and Milan. On one trip to India, he met and formed a long partnership with makers of crystal chandeliers in Mumbai. Soon chandeliers he designed were being sold in all countries, and again used by Ralph Lauren, for the refurbishment of existing and new stores in St Petersburg, the Peninsula Hotel Hong Kong, Paris, New York and London.
In 2013, Kenneth returned to Louth concentrating on his love of gardening and plants, successfully opening his garden through the National Garden Scheme, raising money for cancer and other charities. He hoped one day he would reopen a shop, but as fashion and taste has changed over the years, he didn’t want just an antiques shop, but a shop that sold items you couldn’t buy locally. His intention was to create somewhere to buy a chess or croquet set, but it has snowballed, and the new shop offers the unexpected – a wonderful gallery, including sporting and wildlife pictures, furniture both old and new, glass, china, gifts and so much more.
The website is the tip of the iceberg, come to the shop with an open mind. Life is for living, not for ‘if only’.